1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a travelling toy, and more particularly to a travelling toy having a launcher that generates and transfers driving force to a toy vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Toy vehicles are well known in the art, and generally include a flywheel drive mechanism connected through a driving axle to at least one driving wheel. Driving force is accumulated in the flywheel drive mechanism for transfer to the driving wheel. The toy vehicle is then driven upon a driving surface through frictional contact between the driving wheel and the driving surface. Two types of prior art devices are used to accumulate driving force in the flywheel drive mechanism of toy vehicles.
One type of prior art device that is used to accumulate driving force in the flywheel drive mechanism of toy vehicles includes a manual flywheel. Driving force is accumulated in the flywheel drive mechanism of the toy vehicle by bringing the driving wheel of the toy vehicle into pressure contact with the manual flywheel. However, the manual flywheel device has several disadvantages. For example, the manual flywheel device is large and cumbersome Also, the manual flywheel device is difficult to use because the body of the toy vehicle must be held down so that the driving wheel is maintained in pressure contact with the manual flywheel. Consequently, two-handed operation is required.
Another type of prior art device used to accumulate driving force in the flywheel drive mechanism of toy vehicles is a long rack belt. The long rack belt is brought into mesh with a driving gear mounted on the driving wheel of the toy vehicle, and then is pulled quickly to accumulate driving force in the flywheel drive mechanism of the toy vehicle. Consequently, two-handed operation is required. Also, the long rack belt is only suitable for a two-wheeled toy vehicle or the like in which the driving wheels and the driving gear are exposed to the exterior of the toy vehicle. The long rack belt cannot be used with a four-wheeled toy vehicle or the like in which a driving gear cannot be exposed to the exterior of the body of the toy vehicle. That is, because the driving wheel of a four-wheeled toy vehicle does not project from the vehicle body, the driving gear cannot be exposed so as to be brought into mesh with the long rack belt. In addition, a four-wheeled toy vehicle has no space for insertion of the long rack belt.